City Center Realty Partners has been teasing us with bringing an “Organic Grocery Store” tenant to the Public Market since back in December of 2013. Today it was announced that Portland-Based New Seasons Market has signed a lease to be an anchor for the mixed-use site. The new 35,000-square foot store will be built on the parcel adjacent to the shuttered Emery Bay theater that closed for good back in April 2014. The new Emeryville location will include outdoor seating, a parking structure and will generate about 100 new jobs when complete in 2017. The addition of New Seasons will bolster the area’s current grocery offerings which include a recently renovated Pak ‘n Save, Trader Joe’s and the nearby Berkeley Bowl.

New Seasons opened its first Bay Area store earlier this year in San Jose, taking over the former New Leaf Community Market who is a subsidiary of New Seasons. They started with a single store in Portland in 1999 and have grown to 17 stores throughout the Pacific Northwest region. The company also owns and operates five New Leaf Community markets in Northern California. New Seasons will also open a store in Sunnyvale.

New Seasons is a certified B (“Benefit”) corporation which is a type of for-profit corporate entity that “includes positive impact on society and the environment in addition to profit as its legally defined goals”. New Seasons outlines a commitment to local food systems and “creating a progressive workplace where our staff can thrive” among its mission & values. They provide a mixture of products “from Frosted Flakes to free-range chicken” according to their site.

Christie park to the west of the new grocery store will be expanded & renovated.

The realignment of Shellmound shown in this rendering may never happen after the Council Majority rejected the proposed development agreement.

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Public Market in Emeryville to Welcome Portland-based Neighborhood Grocery Store

New Seasons Market to Anchor Mixed-Use Emeryville Project in New 35,000 Square Foot Building

Emeryville, CA – October 14, 2015 – City Center Realty Partners, LLC (CCRP) along with its partner, Angelo Gordon & Company, (AG), owner of Public Market Emeryville, is pleased to announce its recently executed lease to bring Portland-based New Seasons Market to the East Bay City. The independent, mission-driven grocer will occupy a 35,000-square foot new store with a parking structure and will be an anchor to the 14.5-acre mixed-use site. Public Market Emeryville includes the Public Market Food Hall, restaurants, retail, offices and housing. The new store will generate more than 100 new jobs when it opens in the second half of 2017. Lockehouse Retail Group, Inc. represented both CCRP and New Seasons Market in this transaction.

New Seasons Market is known for its commitment to organics, community, local sourcing, sustainability and its friendly staff. Its addition to the Emeryville community comes as the Public Market undergoes a transformation to solidify its place as a regional hub of activity. Along with the current renovation of its 22,000 square foot Food Hall, upcoming development includes over 450 units of housing, 43,000 additional square feet of retail and restaurants, significant street upgrades and a complete renovation and expansion of a nearby park.

“We’re excited for New Seasons to join what’s shaping into a vibrant new downtown for Emeryville,” said City Center Realty Partners’ Co-Founder Mark Stefan. “With its local produce, organic artisan breads, sustainably sourced meats and seafood, deli selections and chef-prepared specialties alongside everyday classic brands, New Seasons really meets the needs people seek today for fresh, high quality products served by a knowledgeable staff. We’re sure that, like the Public Market’s Food Hall, New Seasons Market will become a beloved neighborhood gem.”

This lease announcement comes on the heels of Public Market’s two recently signed leases. Local food truck businesses We Sushi and Mayo & Mustard are the latest additions to the Food Hall, which will hold 19 food stalls with additional cafes and restaurants when construction is complete later this year. The new tenants will join HOT ITALIAN, Peet’s Coffee, Urban Outfitters, Guitar Center and Public Market’s other retail tenants. While progress continues on new food stalls and such elements as a locally created artist’s mural and a living wall, Public Market’s Food Hall remains open for business.

“New Seasons is delighted to become a part of the Public Market Emeryville neighborhood, bringing our unique grocery shopping experience to this community. We look forward to making our store a welcoming gathering spot where people meet our friendly, knowledgeable staff, connect over fresh, delicious food and build community together,” said New Seasons Market Head of Store Development Jerry Chevassus.

New Seasons Market has 17 stores in Oregon and southwest Washington, one recently opened store in San Jose and five Northern California New Leaf Community Markets.

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About The Author

Rob Ariasis a third generation Californian and East Bay native who moved to Emeryville in 2003. A new parent in the community, he can often be seen walking his French Bulldog rescue "Fiona" around his Park Avenue District neighborhood, traversing the greenway on his bike or enjoying his favorite Emeryville small businesses. Rob's "day job" is as a creative professional.

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